Day two: 87.16 miles; 8 stages

Weather: sunny/overcast 18-25 celsius ■ The first 10 of Nambucca’s 30 miles are wet following overnight rain, playing into the hands of the drivers running soft covers. Neuville eats into his team-mate’s lead; Mikkelsen takes a 15.6s lead into SS10, but this is where his P1 status will end: caught out by a right-over-crest the Hyundai hits a bank and punctures both tyres on the left. Neuville has built a 20s lead by the end of Saturday. ■ Latvala is progressing up the leaderboard, into third in SS9 and second one stage later. That position is further secured when Meeke clips a bridge, damaging a suspension arm on the right-rear of the C3. The Northern Irishman is sure he can make it through the next stage, but the team instructs him to stop. The frustration is doubled when the ensuing test is cancelled and Meeke could have made service. ■ Tanak is more comfortable through Saturday and follows Latvala up the leaderboard to a provisional podium spot. One place behind, Breen is looking comfortable – his only problem being the arrival of a butterfly in Argents Hill (“actually, I think it’s some sort of moth, probably a killer moth in this part of the world!”). ■ Paddon and Ogier are enduring mixed fortunes in fifth and sixth. The Kiwi feels like he might finally be making progress with the set-up of his i20, while the champ’s event looks to be going from bad to worse with more gear shift trouble and a spin, which demolishes the front of the car in Welshs Creek.